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|`useful Improvement UNITED STAES WILLIAM RIPPON, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

DOUBLE-ACTING DOOR.

Speccatlon of Letters Patent No. 9,102, dated July 6, 1852.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM RirPoN, of the city and county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and in Double-Acting Doors; and I do hereby declare that the ollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specitication, in which- Figure 1, is a front elevation of a door frame and door, having some of its parts broken out and sectioned, so asto show more clearly the manner in which my improvement is attached to the door frame and the manner in which the door when being opened, operates upon the slats and also the way in which the springs operate upon the slats after the door has been thrown wide open or closed tight. Fig. 2, is a vertical transverse section of the same, and Fig. 3, is a horizontal section, taken in the line ai, in Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each of the several Iig ures.

The nature of my invention consists, in the arranging of loose adjustable slats, in grooves, along the ront,top,and back edges of the door. All of said slats having spiral springs attached to them these springs are for the purpose of adjusting said slats, after they, or their circular edges have been operated upon by the circular edges of the door as it is being thrown open in either direction, in or out. And the slats, arranged and working in grooves, along the front edge of the door, have also attached to their top and bottom ends horizontal connecting links, which connect the slats to horizontal levers, connected together by a vertical rod; and turning or working on fulcrum pins, passing through their centers. By means of these levers springs, &c., the loose vertical slats are, when the door is being opened or closed in either direction (by the friction of the circular edge of the door on them), made to move horizontally back and forth in vertical longitudinal grooves cut in the frame of the door, and thereby allow of the door being opened in both directions, in-

ward or outward; and also after the door is shut tight, these slats spring or adjust themselves along the edges of the door and prevent the wind from insinuating itself into the room, through the cracks or crevices, which are usually left between the top front, and back edges of the door and frame. They also keep the door firmly locked in its place when shut, :tor it is impossible for the door to pass the slats, without sufficient force be applied to it to contract the springs and operate the levers.

The top 'or horizontal slats hang o-r turn loosely on hinges which are secured to a cross piece turning or vibrating on a rod secured in the frame of the door. To the sides, near the back end of this cross piece the two ends of a cord or chain, having a weight secured to it, are attached. This cord and weight with the spiral spring, which is attached to the frame and bottom of the cross piece, operate upon the said cross piece and horizontal slats in a similar manner, (when the door is being lthrown open) as the levers and springs operate upon the vertical slats.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A, A, represent the frame of the door, which may be constructed in the manner substantially as represented in the drawing.

B, is the door, which may be hung in any suitable way; this door has its top, front, and back edges a, c, made of a circular shape.

C, C, C', C represent four vertical adjusting slats arranged along the front and back edges a, Zi, of the door B, and work in vertical longitudinal grooves d, d', the front slats C, C, are connected to horizontal levers D, D, by means of connecting links E, E, which are secured to said slats in the manner represented in Figs. 1 and 3. These levers are connected together and sustained by means of a vertical rod E, and also turn on fulcrum pins e, e, secured in the top and bottom parts of the frame, as represented in the drawing.

G, G, G, G', indicate spiral springs, attached to the slats C, C, C', C and to the frame A, in the manner substantially as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, those lettered Gr, being attached to the front slats C, C, which work in vertical grooves CZ, d, cut in the frame A, a portion of which is shown broken away, so as to show more clearly the grooves (Z, CZ, d', cl. The slats C, C,

C', C, are of a hemispherical shape, and are, when the door is opened or shut in either direction, in or out, made to move horizontally back and forth in the grooves, and thus allow of the door being opened in either direction. The levers and springs D, and G, being so arranged that when the door is being opened, the friction of the front edge of the door on the circular edges of the slats C, C, will have a tendency to operate the levers and contract the springs and thereby cause the slats to be operatedupon in the manner described; and when the door is being closed, these levers and springs are operated in a similar manner; but after the door has been closed tight, or thrown wide open, these springs allow of the slats C, C, assuming their original positions; and if the door be closed prevent the entrance of wind, and also keep the door firmly closed in its proper place until a suficient force be applied to the door to contract the springs and operate the levers.l

I, represents the vlbrating or rocking cross piece, turning on a rod f, ksecured in the frame A, and to the part lettered I, to

which the top hinged slats J J, are secured. To the ends g, g, of the part lettered I, the two ends of a chain or cord h, is attached. n To this cord a weight j, is secured. This =door.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isv The manner, substantially as herein described, of arranging vertical and horizon-V tal adjustable slats C, C, C', C and J, J, along the front top and back edges a, b, c, of the door B, for the purpose of allowing :the door being opened in either direction,

in or out; said slats being made to operate 'in the manner herein specified, by means of the door B, levers D, D, or their equivalents I, L, j; and springs G, G, Gr, G', and j, the whole being constructed and arranged in the gmanner herein set forth. WILLIAM RIPPON. Witnesses:

J AMES WooD,

DENNIS LEACH. 

